As the Deer Pants-Peek-A-Boo Project

I am not an overly religious man but was raised up attending a small, little white church on the hill several miles from our small country home. I always loved the Psalms the best as they expressed just deep emotions and longings. I was a bit of an outsider growing up in this rural setting as I was an artistic emotional child. I comforted myself reading the Psalms and always believing in better days. This is the inspiration for this piece. Many people try to keep deer out of their gardens I am inviting them to be part of our gardens as I try to include all outsiders into my art.

Supplies: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Flourished Deer, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Creepy Tree 5 Inches, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Vine Corners, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Layered Frame Bella Oval, Upcycled Seed Packet Plant Holders(can find them by doing an internet search sold by Amazon, garden centers, some Big Lot stores), photocopies of woodland scenes, Ranger Vintaj Patina Set, Small Natural Sponge, Coptic Marker-Pistachio, Weldbond, Clear Matte Varnish, Paintbrush, Versa Mark, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powders-Tree Branch and Fern Green, Ranger Embossing Powder-Brick (Use to be named Rust). Heating Tool, Antiquing Cream Raw Umber, Weighted Bags of BB's or Kitty Litter, balsa wood, micro-screws, screwdriver, Ferro Textured Paint Irongold and Silver,  24 jump rings-12 gauge x 3/8 i.d.(inside diameter) anodized aluminum in black ice, and  two pairs of flat nosed pliers
1.   Separate Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Flourished Deer, Vine Corners, and Creepy Tree 5 inches.

2.  Make copies of woodland images you'd like to use. I made copies of two I had taken form my many walks in the woods.

3.  Use Ranger Vintaj Patina set to distress the Seed Packet Plant Holders using a small natural sponge.

4.  Cut out photocopied pictures and use a Pistachio Coptic marker on the edges.

5.  Glue pictures into Seed Packet Plant Holders using Weldbond.

6.  To make the outdoor friendly coat with two coats of Clear Matte Varnish.

7.  Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Flourished Deer with Wendy Vecchi Tree Branch Embossing Powders.

8.  Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Vine Corners with Wendy Vecchi Fern Green Embossing Powders.

9.   Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Creepy Tree with Rangers Brick Embossing Powders.

10.                Cure all using a heating tool.

11.                To antique the shiny pieces I used a dry brush to apply Raw Umber Antiquing Cream.

 12.                Coat all embossed pieces with Clear Matte Varnish as the Antiquing Cream is water based and will run unless coated.

13.                Use Weldbond to layer the embossed pieces onto the Seed Packet Plant Holders.

14.                Allow to dry fully using a weighted bag of BB's or Kitty Litter to hold pieces into place.

15.                Once dry add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to assure they will be able to withstand the outside weather. ***Some artist might stop here but I always like to take it a few steps further and pushing the envelope a little closer to the edge. I've heard it said "If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting too much space***
16.  Using Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Layered Bella Oval Frame to make a "Salad Bar" sign.

 17.  Print the words "Salad Bar" using your word processing program.

18.  Distress the paper sign using a stamp and permanent ink of your choosing.

19.  Use Rangers Brick Embossing Powder on the back portion of the frame curing with heating tool.

20.  Use Ranger Vintaj Patina set to distress the front portion of the frame.

21.  Use a Coptic  marker to determine proper placement of printed inked words.

22.  Glue into place using Weldbond.

23.  Dry flat and weighted down with your trusty bag of BBs or kitty litter.
24.  Distress sign using antiquing cream of raw umber, copper paint, and Coptic markers.

 

 25.                Add a layer of Gloss Accents to center of sign.

26.                Sprinkle with Finnabair microbeads and mica chips.

27.                Add an aged look using Finnabair Red and Brown Rust Paste.

28.  To add weight the salad bar sign so it would hand correctly I cut out and oval shape from a piece of balsa wood.

29.  Distress with Ferro Textured Paint of Silver and Irongold.

30.  Secure smaller more delicate sign to larger balsa wood using screwdriver and micro-screws.

31.  Use Finnabair Red and Brown Rust Paste to tie it all together.

32.  Drill two holes into balsa sign, add 12 to 13 aluminum jump rings to both sides so sign can dangle between two deer signs.

33.  Once everything is dry, add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to assure it is outdoor ready.

34.                Once everything is dry, add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to make it outdoor ready

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I find great comfort walking in the woods. Every gift I receive while there comforts me. Seeing a deer drinking from a stream restores my soul and lets me know all is well in the world. I find Nature can be a great cathedral and wisdom often comes in unexpected places. And, a sense of humor makes the darkest days brighter.

 
 
 


 

 
 

 

 
 

Peek-a-Boo Project-Branch Bouquets

Growing up in Pennsylvania, where February can be the longest month of winter, my mom used to make branch bouquets from cutting branches in our yard. We'd trick the forsythia, crab apple, dogwood, and sometimes lilac into blooming to remind us that Spring was on its way. This Peek-a-Boo project is a  tribute to those fond memories. 

Supplies:  Reliquary - Arch Top from Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts, black embossing paste and crackle paste, plastic palette knife, alcohol inks, ink blending tool, versa mark, embossing enamel or powder, heat tool, Weldbond glue, clamps, small stiff bristle brush, floral embellishments, leaf embellishments, tiny twigs, heavy gel medium, microbeads, flat back rhinestones, and matte gel varnish

1.  Take the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Reliquary Arch Top apart

2.  On the back panel apply a thin layer of black embossing paste I use a thin plastic palette knife and prefer Wendy Vecchi products.

3.  Allow to dry fully.

4.  Now apply a thin layer of crackle paste. I use a thin plastic palette knife and prefer Wendy Vecchi products. The thinner the layer the smaller the crackle effect, the thicker the layer the deeper more pronounced crackle effect.

5. Allow to dry overnight for best results.

6.  While crackle paste is drying place versa mark on top portion of Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Reliquary Arch.

7.  Sprinkle with embossing enamel or powder. I used Stampendous Frantage Aged Hunter Embossing Enamel.

8.  Cure with your heating tool.

9.  Next day once the crackle paste is dry I add desired alcohol inks to ink blending tool and add this to the dried crackle paste. To lighten sections spray with rubbing alcohol and dry with heat gun. I used tones of grey, tan, and blue.(Ranger pebble, mushroom, sailboat blue to be specific)

10.                Glue the two pieces of the Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Reliquary Arch together using Weldbond glue and clamps. I used a small stiff bristle brush to remove any Weldbond that squeezed through the frames.

11.                Gather your floral and leaf embellishments. I used polymer clay ones using molds and instructions on product and metal embellishments collected from various art suppliers.

12.                Gather a few interesting twigs from your yard or from a walk in the park.

13.                Assemble your project by building layers securing embellishments with heavy gel medium and a small stiff bristle brush.

14.                I started with the polymer clay embellishments.

15.                Next I added the metal embellishments.

16.                For final step of assemblage I carefully added tiny pieces of twigs.

17.                Before everything dries sprinkle with microbeads, I used copper and black. Carefully remove excess beads by tapping gently.

18.                Two flat back gemstones were added using heavy gel medium and a small stiff bristle brush.

19.                Allow to dry for 24 hours so heavy gel medium will cure clear.

20.                Lastly I stabilized the twigs using a brush and a matt gel varnish.

This makes a great stand alone piece or 3-D Mother's Day gift.  I will be using it as panel for one of my Treasure Books or on a Houdini-Hideaway Box.

I have made a companion piece for this project. I like how they compliment each other.